


【What it Takes to be Hokage】

by Solara



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama, Friendship, Gen, Hokage Uzumaki Naruto, Light Angst, Political affairs whatnot, Slight time-travel concept, Time travel to warring era, Warring States Period (Naruto), naruto time travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:41:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23132596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solara/pseuds/Solara
Summary: Naruto has always wanted to be the Hokage but does he really understand what it means to wear the Hokage's hat? Who better to teach him than the First Hokage himself! Only, he's not the Hokage yet, he hasn't even built Konoha...or discovered his Wood Style. Time Travel.
Relationships: Senju Hashirama & Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama & Uzumaki Naruto, Senju Hashirama/Uzumaki Mito, Uchiha Madara & Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 8
Kudos: 72





	1. 【章一】

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Naruto. Updates will not be consistent.  
> Pairings: Well so far it's Mito and Hashirama.
> 
> Naruto has always wanted to be the Hokage but does he really understand what it means to wear the Hokage's hat? Who better to teach him than the First Hokage himself! Only, he's not the Hokage yet, he hasn't even built Konoha . . . or discovered his Wood Style.  
>    
> 'What it takes to be Hokage'

**Prologue**  
  
"Madara . . . what have you done?" Naruto whispered to himself, knees going weak as he realised just what was happening. "What happened to our dream? What happened to everything we were working towards? Hashirama, me and you. We worked so hard only for you to go and do this? Why?"  
  
"Naruto-kun?" Minato asked, his tone conveying his concern. "Do you know what this is?"  
  
Naruto schooled his features. Yes, he knew exactly what it was because he, roughly sixty years ago, had been the one to put it there. Instead of saying so, he turned to his Otou-san, a man that shouldn't be alive just as Naruto shouldn't be there at all, and replied, "No. I don't but whatever it was, someone didn't want it getting out, and probably for a very good reason."  
  
A very, very good reason. After all, a tailed beast was nothing to laugh at.  
  
**Chapter 1**  
  
Naruto grumbled under his breath as he walked out of the Hokage's office. Well, what was left of the Hokage's office . . . Which wasn't actually anything at all.  
  
Letting go of the tent flap Naruto glared at the semi-self-appointed Sixth Hokage. How he hated this man. This, this . . . _Danzo._  
  
Who the hell did he think he was?! Making Sasuke a missing nin. Well he'd just have to be acquainted with Uzumaki Naruto that was for sure. But for now, Naruto would just have to retreat and strike later, when he had a better opportunity. Something about this Danzo made him want to shiver with distaste. He was a creep, that was for sure, and not the friendly kind like ero-sennin and Kakashi-sensei. And he had the nerve to threaten Naruto. Naruto would never become his weapon. Never!  
  
He was also arrogant. He'd placed his stupid tent exactly where the Hokage's tower should have been, with his stupid ROOT guarding it from all sides. Well on second thought, Naruto just might have done that too.  
  
Grumbling more to himself, Naruto kicked a rock, sending it tumbling over the ground before smacking into the pile of rubble that was _supposed_ to be the Hokage tower and causing a small rubble avalanche to crash to the ground. Since the ROOT members were wearing masks, Naruto couldn't be certain, but he was pretty damn sure that they were glaring at him.  
  
Weren't those morons supposed to be emotionless? Who the hell even cares?!  
  
Naruto sighed heavily as he walked over to the rubble he'd caused to fall over. All of his anger  
dissipated at the sight of the rubble. It was such a heart wrenching sight, his home lying in nothing but piles of rubble. If only he'd gotten here moments before. He might have been able to do something, anything really.  
  
The blond sighed as he stared at the mess that was his village. So much work stood before him but like his Otou-san had said, the village could always be rebuilt; it was the people that made the village what it was.  
  
Naruto blinked at the wooden cylinder he spotted poking out from under a particularly large piece of rubble. That was odd. Glancing behind him at the ROOT members, Naruto conceded that they were ignoring him and proceeded to carefully pull the cylinder out.  
  
It looked like it was the same size as a normal scroll and a little banged up, but that was to be expected considering where he found it. Glancing at the ROOT again, Naruto decided not to chance it and tucked it away in his pocket, the same one that held the tiny shattered shards of the First Hokage's necklace. The shards that he'd painstakingly searched for and gathered. It actually helped that he'd been fighting Pein at the time, and had been standing still when it had shattered. It meant that the shards were all in the same sort of area. Sort of.  
  
However, the moment the wooden cylinder touched the blue crystal Naruto blacked out, not even entirely sure why his head was hitting the floor in the first place.

* * *

Staring at the water was something he did often, pondering it's near endless flow much like he pondered the state of his life and those of his family. What was it about the water that enchanted him so much? He could never be sure, the fascination was simply there.  
  
Lifting the hand that held the flat stone, Senju Hashirama was about to skip it across the water when a falling body made him freeze. The odd phenomenon made a rather large splash as it fell into the water.  
  
Where had he come from? Glancing up at the sky, Hashirama had to conclude that there were no tree branches he could have fallen off of. Yet there he was, floating in the water and beginning to sink. Wait, sink? Dead bodies didn't usually sink.  
  
Dashing out onto the water, Hashirama quickly checked the person's vitals. He was surprised to find that this one was alive, even if that was only just barely. Mostly, every time he saw a person floating in this river, he checked their vitals and which clan they belonged to. Every time though, they were dead . . . but not this one.  
  
Without thought to whether he was an enemy or not, Hashirama pulled the boy from the water and dragged him onto the bank he'd just been sitting on. Looking at him critically, Hashirama concluded that the boy looked to be around his age, perhaps younger, perhaps older. But only slightly so either way.  
  
"Is that a live one?"  
  
Hashirama looked up in surprise, cursing himself silently for having been caught unaware by the other. "Yeah, help me move him somewhere safe, Madara."  
  
"Why? He could be an enemy." Madara replied, looking at the unconscious boy with suspicion.  
  
"We can't just leave him. Besides I've never seen anything like what he's wearing from around here before. We might learn something from him." Hashirama replied simply, pulling one of the  
boy's arms up and draping it over his own shoulders. He could have easily done it by himself but enjoyed making Madara do unnecessary work.  
  
Madara's gaze took in the headband with the shiny metal plate on the blonde's forehead and without a word moved to take the boy's other arm.  
  
"His clothes are odd." Hashirama mused glancing at the boy's attire from the corner of his eyes.  
  
"Says the one with the flower pot hair style and the billowing curtain pants." Madara snorted.  
  
Hashirama sent him a withering look before glancing around at their surrounds and guiding them to a small cave that was in this part of the woods. They set the boy down carefully, each one studying him for a moment.  
  
"He appears to be a ninja. He has the tools." Madara supplied, pulling out a shuriken from the pouch and studying it carefully before replacing it. "It has some odd qualities to it though. It's nothing like what we have. This is better, smoother. Looks like it will be more accurate in battle."  
  
"But I don't think he was injured in battle. He doesn't have any wounds or even any of the usual signs on his clothing." Hashirama muttered, adding his own thoughts to the brainstorming session.  
  
"What do you make of his headband?" Madara asked quietly, "Other than that, I do not see anything else that would establish which clan he's from."  
  
"No, he does have a clan marking. Here on his shoulder. I think that's an Uzumaki symbol but I've never seen it worn like that nor have I seen them wear these kinds of clothes. As for the headband, it's not uncommon for ninja to wear something on their foreheads. I've just never seen that before." Hashirama replied thoughtfully.  
  
Madara frowned before checking the boy's pulse himself. Hashirama didn't like the colour the kid was turning. "I've seen this before. It's a rare form of chakra exhaustion. He might not make it. He's barely hanging on as it is." Madara muttered, eyebrows furrowing together in anger.  
  
"I get the feeling that he's going to be just fine. He looks like a fighter to me. But I guess that means we're going to have to take care of him, right?" Hashirama mused.  
  
"Probably. This form of chakra exhaustion is going to leave him weak and helpless for weeks if not a month or two."  
  
"That's terrible. He won't even be able to defend himself!" Hashirama exclaimed.  
  
"Relax. If we set up some good traps and place a few good genjutsus around here, no one will even find him." Madara reminded the other ninja with a shake of his head.  
  
"Are you sure you know strong enough ones?"  
  
Madara almost snapped that his clan specialised in genjutsu, among other things but that was against the rules. It would give away his family name. "Yeah well, the best we can do is try. I'm not even sure it's the best idea."  
  
"Of course it is! He needs help." Hashirama argued back childishly.  
  
"And if he's an enemy?" Madara challenged with a raised brow.  
  
"If he's an enemy then he's a very poor one at that. He couldn't even swat a fly right now, let alone kill us."  
"I suppose . . . Do you have any food on you at the moment?" Madara conceded.  
  
Hashirama looked around on his person before pulling out a wrapped piece of bread. "Will that work?"  
  
"If we soak it in water, then yes." Madara took the offered bread and propped the chakra exhausted teen up so that he was leaning against the wall. Hashirama had never seen such a severely chakra depleted Shinobi and as such, didn't fully know how to treat one. So all he could really do was provide Madara with the things he needed to care for the boy.  
  
When Madara was done, Hashirama felt a sense of uselessness. If what the other had said earlier was true then he needed to learn how to care of this person and quickly. After all neither of them could come every day.  
  
"Madara, could you tell me more about how to care for a chakra depleted person? You can't come every day and neither can I so we'll need to alternate. But I've never had to care for someone so helpless before." Hashirama asked quietly, staring almost blankly at the oddly dressed Shinobi that had literally fallen into their care. He'd seen people this helpless, but they never lasted long enough to be cared for. He lived in an era of war, so it was to be expected. He felt that he should know how to care for these Shinobi but he was ashamed to say he didn't.  
  
"It's simple actually. You should work on your medical skills then. The point is to make sure they don't die." Madara replied and Hashirama glared at his non-answer but he took the advice to heart. He _would_ work on his medical skills. After all, there would always be those in need of healing.  
  
"We should leave. It's getting late. I won't be able to come tomorrow." Madara stated with a sigh, looking outside to the sky and the near setting sun.  
  
"Do you think he'll be warm enough?" Hashirama bit his lip.  
  
"Bring him a blanket tomorrow." Madara waved over his shoulder dismissively as he walked out of the cave already readying his chakra to perform some of the genjutsus. "And give me some of your chakra so that I can key it into the genjutsu."  
  
Hashirama gave the sleeping teen one last look, taking in the whisker marks, the bright blond hair and shiny headband before nodding to himself and following Madara outside the cave and helping him set up the traps before heading back to the river. As each one stood facing the other on opposite sides, they skipped a stone to each other, catching it and pocketing it. With a small wave they were both simply gone as only Shinobi could.

* * *

Hashirama dashed through the trees awkwardly with his pilfered blanket and pillow. He giggled to himself as he made his way to the river, trying to get there without being followed. This was actually really exciting and fun. Something that he hadn't had much of lately.  
  
He noticed that his younger brother had seen him take the stuff in the early hours of the morning but had said nothing. Tobirama was strange that way. Sometimes he would throw you over the coals and other times he'd leave you be with nothing more than a stern look of disapproval and in this case slight curiosity.  
  
Skipping over the river easily, Hashirama didn't stop but rather kept going right into the trees on the other side. This time, he ran without making a sound and he was careful to watch out for enemies. He couldn't afford to have his new charge spotted. The blond teen could hardly defend  
himself after all and since Hashirama couldn't stay for very long at the moment he couldn't defend the teen either.  
  
It was some ungodly hour in the morning when not even his Otou-san had been up by the time he'd left. Hashirama's plan had been to return just before he usually woke up so that no one missed him. A small part of his brain contemplated devising a way to let Madara know that he'd been here and vice versa. He'd think a little on it later and then discuss it with Madara when they saw each other again.  
  
Landing in front of the cave, Hashirama looked around quickly before disappearing into the semidark cave and noticed immediately that the boy hadn't even moved from the propped up position he'd been in yesterday. How uncomfortable.  
  
He'd also managed to remember to bring some food and had brought some soup. He felt proud that he had thought of something that was both nutritious and edible for the helpless blond.  
  
Mimicking Madara's actions yesterday, Hashirama managed to get some more food into the teen for the time being. Who would come tomorrow? Madara had only mentioned that he couldn't come today. So what about the next day and the day after that? Hashirama couldn't come all the time, same as Madara.  
  
Carefully he placed the pillow on a flat piece of ground before moving the teen onto it, shuddering at how icy the teen felt. He should've brought the blanket last night but night time was the most dangerous time to be lurking about in the woods. If you weren't careful, your own clansmen were likely to kill you because they mistook you for a spy.  
  
Hashirama didn't feel like being skewered due to stupidity, it didn't have a nice ring to it and knowing his Otou-san, the stuck up bastard would have that put on his headstone.  
  
Tucking the thick blanket around the teen was really all he could do for now. He had to get back. At least the guy had a bit more colour to his cheeks.

* * *

He managed to reach the door to his room when his Otou-san barked out his name. Uh oh. Did Tobirama tell on him after all?  
  
Turning to face his approaching Otou-san, Hashirama bowed respectfully in greeting. "Otou-san."  
  
"Where were you? I called for you five minutes ago but your brother said you weren't there." His Otou-san demanded in reply.  
  
"Uhm I had to go." Hashirama replied simply.  
  
"Go? Go where?"  
  
"You know, _go._ " Hashirama emphasised the last word, using the tone that only meant one thing. Toilet breaks.  
  
"Uh . . . right." His father's cheek looked a little less pale than usual, and his eyes flickered to the side slightly before he turned a stern gaze back to Hashirama. "Anyways, I want you presentable and in the meeting room in five minutes. Understood?"  
  
Hashirama nodded, not saying a word. His Otou-san appeared to be in one of those moods today; one of those moods where one wrong move could earn you a swift, painful blow for your troubles. Kami help you if you tried to dodge it like any true Shinobi would . . . and Kami forbid you didn't try  
to dodge it. Either way it pissed the man off so Hashirama usually settled for one of each. He allowed the first one to hit but after that he dodged like his life depended on it, which it probably did when he got his father into one of his especially foul moods.  
  
Making himself presentable was a moot point since he'd been dressed for hours already. All he really had to do was brush his teeth so he grabbed some clean sand from the cup in his room and rubbed it around in his mouth and over his teeth before spitting it and rinsing out his mouth with water.  
  
As Hashirama hurried to his Otou-san's meeting room he was met with curt bows and greetings. As the son of the clan head it was expected of him to be at his best at all times. So he had to return every one of those greetings.  
  
"Better hurry or you'll be late." Tobirama warned from his place in a shadowy corner, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched with a slightly amused expression on his almost childlike features, but that boy had always been far too serious and really who could blame him?  
  
Hashirama skidded to a stop outside the room and took a moment to catch his breath and straighten his hair.  
  
Then he bowed his head before carefully pulling open the door and entering, keeping his head low at all times. He'd already been barefoot so he didn't need to remove his shoes.  
  
"Step forward, Hashirama and raise your head." His Otou-san barked impatiently.  
  
Doing as he was told, Hashirama was greeted with the sight of four other people, his Otou-san, the clan head of the Uzumaki, another female member of the Uzumaki and a young girl, also sporting the Uzumaki clan symbol. Immediately he wondered if there were any blond Uzumakis and if this girl would know but decided against asking it right now since that would be admitting to his Otou-san that he was harbouring a potential enemy in a cave in the woods and caring for said potential enemy.  
  
Yeah, that wouldn't go over very well.  
  
"I'm going to get straight to the point, Hashirama. As you know the life expectancy of a Shinobi is very low and for children of Shinobi even less so." His Otou-san began and Hashirama grit his teeth to stop himself from replying to that statement. He and his Otou-san still fought about that topic rather passionately.  
  
"As such it has been arranged that you and Uzumaki Mito," Here his Otou-san paused to gesture at the young red haired girl, "Are to be joined together in marriage once she has had her first blood."  
  
Hashirama couldn't stop the un-Shinobi like blush from spreading across his face at those very gruffly stated words. Uzumaki Mito huh. Looking at the girl with more attention than before Hashirama saw a certain whisper of womanish beauty, a regal proudness and strength just peeking through the childlike adolescence.  
  
He knew better than to argue. Arranged marriages were not uncommon as it helped form alliances and as the son of the head of the clan, he had expected it. Just not so soon. They also helped with the whole life expectancy thing. Shinobi always married young, and usually only the men became ninja. The female ninja, the kunoichi, were few and far between. Yet the Uzumaki seemed to let their females study their famed sealing arts to their heart's content. Made sense. However, just because females were not active Shinobi, it did not mean they couldn't kick your ass six ways from Sunday.  
Women were scary, enough said.  
  
Mito was silent, staring at the floor as she waited for some sort of reaction from the _boy_ that was to be her husband. His curious gaze was starting to annoy her as well as make her uncomfortable. Couldn't he say something already?  
  
"Well, I always thought the red hair of the Uzumaki clan was beautiful." Hashirama grinned, his eyes lighting up with a youthful amusement that was rare in their war torn state of existence. "Pleased to meet you, Lady Mito. Senju Hashirama at your service. Wow, look at that. I actually got to say my full name." Hashirama's charm was hard to ignore and Mito smiled despite herself.  
  
Her mother had told her that this was a serious affair and should be treated as such. Yet, this boy made it very hard to act accordingly. In fact, if Mito were honest with herself, she would admit that his hairstyle and fashion sense needed some work, since it currently was making it very hard to take him, and anything he said, very seriously.  
  
"While you're here, Hashirama, I have a new mission for you. Try not to die." His Otou-san interrupted, reaching to grab a scroll that he'd set aside. "I'd hate for all this to be for nothing." He added under his breath and Hashirama was only half certain he was somewhat joking.  
  
For the first time since entering the room Hashirama's composure faltered. His eyes flashed in anger as his smile melted from his features, replaced by the blank seriousness of a Shinobi with his clan head, no longer the son and the Otou-san.  
  
"It's expected that you'll be gone for about a week." His Otou-san began and for a brief moment panic flared to life on those blank features. A panic that was not lost on his Otou-san who paused in his explanation of the mission, "Is something wrong with that?"  
  
"Uhm, I was working on a new jutsu. Something that's really quite amazing if I can master it and I felt like I was getting close . . . that's all." Hashirama supplied lamely. He couldn't very well say that he had a chakra exhausted Shinobi to tend to. He needed to somehow let Madara know that he wasn't going to be back for a whole week.  
  
"A new jutsu? If you should complete it, what would its capabilities be?" His Otou-san asked, a small flicker of interest in his gaze. There was hardly time to learn jutsus passed down from family members. Time was something they spent fighting other clans, hardly training. Creating a jutsu was another matter entirely.  
  
Ah crap. He'd lied about the jutsu, sort of. _Come on Hashirama think! There were always ideas floating around in your head, find one of them and use it._  
  
"Well I was trying to combine water style and earth style to see what it would create." Hashirama explained, puffing out his chest and making his tone secretive and awe-inspiring to add a sense of mystery to his sort of lie.  
  
"But that's like a collaboration jutsu." His Otou-san argued almost sounding dismissive and definitely disappointed.  
  
"No, no. Not like a collaboration jutsu. When two people collaborate a jutsu, one can still see the two separate elements. What I want is to combine the two on my own, without the help of a second Shinobi and to mix them together so thoroughly that it creates something new, something with the flexibility and agility of water yet the strength of the earth." Hashirama explained getting into the mood of this little white lie. It was a fascinating concept and if he achieved it, then the possibilities were endless.  
  
"It's a nice fantasy Hashirama but in times such as these, it's one I cannot allow you to entertain. As it is you're far too inexperienced, too unpractised, to have the control over the two chakra natures needed to achieve this feat. It's time you grew up. Here is your mission. I expect you to leave tomorrow morning." His Otou-san replied yet there was genuine sadness and regret in his tone. Hashirama knew that his Otou-san wished for him to have the life of child but knew that he was a Shinobi and as such he'd have to live as one.  
  
"Yes, Otou-san." Hashirama replied with a slight bow.  
  
Mentally he began to calculate a way to let Madara know that he wasn't going to be returning for a week. Perhaps he would be able to incorporate it into the genjutsu traps. Quickly checking the mission parameters written down in the scroll, he noted with luck that it was in the same direction as the river so he wouldn't be going out of his way to leave the message.  
  
"You may use today to acquaint yourself with Uzumaki Mito, or were you planning on leaving again?" There was a hint of a challenge in Hashimara's Otou-san's tone.  
  
"Only a little later." Hashirama replied, his tone quiet. He couldn't afford to anger his Otou-san right now.  
  
"I see. Well you two are dismissed. There are a few things I still need to discuss with the clan head of the Uzumaki." Hashirama bowed once again and Mito stood, bowing as well.  
  
Both of them walked out the door, keeping their heads low. When they were outside however, Hashirama allowed his true feelings to dominate his features. There was most definitely anger, yet there was concern as well.  
  
Mito glanced at him, her eyes taking in his dark expression before she quickly glanced away, biting on her lower lip.  
  
"Is something the matter Lady Mito?" Hashirama asked, the anger melting from his face as he did so. "And I don't mind if you speak freely with me, I prefer it."  
  
Mito hesitated before sighing and looking at the young Senju once again. "Are you truly happy with our impending union?"  
  
Hashirama laughed. "You don't have to be so formal. I know the Uzumaki are not famed for their conserved manner and the effort must be taxing. But otherwise, yes. I'd say I'm happy with our 'impending union'. There's not much to be sad about really. Are you happy?"  
  
"Are you kidding? I get to marry a Senju and not just any Senju, the son of the clan head. Of course I'm happy." Mito exclaimed, her eyes growing large with excitement.  
  
"You know I'd hate to think that you're only marrying me for my titles." Hashirama said with a slight frown but his eyes sparkled mischievously. Mito, however, did not see this and as a result her excitement changed to alarm and she stuttered out as quickly as she could "No, no. That's not what I meant. Not at all. It's just that ever since I can remember the Senju have been hailed as one of the greatest clans in the Elemental Nations, rivalled only by the Uchiha. I guess I'm just a little awed."  
  
"Don't worry. I understand. And the Uzumaki aren't push-overs either. I hear you guys get really down and dirty when you need to." Hashirama smiled softly, not really comfortable talking about a glory he felt was underserved simply because it was won through the means of war. "Hey, are you allowed to leave the compound?" Hashirama asked excitedly and suddenly, causing Mito to jump.  
  
"I-I'm not sure." Mito replied with a frown.  
  
"Well come on. You're with me so you'll be fine." Hashirama grabbed her hand causing her to squeak in surprise and began to pull her towards the trees. They were only able to get past three trees before a familiar voice spoke from behind the tree next to them as they passed.  
  
"It is my recommendation, brother, that you do not leave today. Especially not with Lady Mito."  
  
Tobirama was leaning against the tree, his eyes watching the floor as he spoke and his arms crossed over his chest. Ah, always so serious. "What's the matter little brother, you're gloomier than usual today?" Hashirama teased, tempted to ruffle the younger Senju's hair but deciding against it.  
  
"No, I'm just more realistic than you. Neither Otou-san nor the Uzumaki clan Head will appreciate you taking his daughter outside the confines of the Senju compound's safety." Tobirama stated, lifting his gaze so that it was now on Mito.  
  
"Alright then, you have a point. Walk back with us?" Hashirama conceded with a grin.  
  
In reply Tobirama held up a scroll and Hashirama's grin faded into anguish. " _Be safe_."  
  
It's what he wanted to say but he didn't. He was a Shinobi and a Shinobi did not concern themselves with the safety of others. Or, that's what they were supposed to be like. Hashirama however huffed at his younger brother and said arrogantly. "If you don't come back from that one alive, I'm going to bury you in nothing but your underpants and I'll tell everyone about it."  
  
"You're such a child." Tobirama snapped but there was a small smile quirking the corners of his lips. Mito couldn't help but secretly agree with the younger Senju.

* * *

Naruto felt like he was heavy. Too heavy to move and far too heavy to even care. He was very, very dimly aware of the world around him, but that awareness was hardly anything at all. He couldn't even tell if he was lying down or sitting up. He couldn't tell if he hungry or thirsty.  
  
Something at the edges of his awareness wanted to be acknowledged but he couldn't focus on it, he couldn't focus on anything. All there was in his little world was the steady _ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump_ of his own heart beat and his shallow yet rhythmic breaths.  
  
It was enough to make him fall asleep once again.

* * *

"Finally!"  
  
Hashirama panted as he entered the cave. He'd pushed himself on that last mission and had managed to finish it before the allocated time which was an achievement in itself. Usually, they didn't give you _enough_ time.  
  
"Sorry Madara. That mission was brutal. Just give me a second." Hashirama gasped out.  
  
"It's hard to believe that you can equal me in taijutsu." Madara shook his head. "Anyways. His pulse has gotten stronger and he's hanging in there. I think you're right. He is a fighter. Oh and I'm running out of excuses to come out here."  
  
"Just tell them you're working on a new ultra secret jutsu." Hashirama offered. "And I just had to  
run away from an entire clan trying to kill me. Give me a break will ya?"  
  
"Your jutsu suggestion requires for me to actually have an adequate jutsu to present upon completion." Madara growled with a childish pout. "And it sure as hell better be adequate or it's my ass."  
  
"Hey, you got it easy. You'd just have to say jutsu. Now me on the other hand. I told my Otou-san I was working on a one man collaboration jutsu. That's going to take more skill than what I currently have." Hashirama pouted back.  
  
"You're the one that told him. Besides, didn't we agree to work on our weak points? This is good motivation. There's a big enough clearing outside the cave." Madara shrugged.  
  
"And you're ohkay with practising this together?" Hashirama asked, his eyebrows pulling together in confusion.  
  
Madara was silent for a long time as he thought it over. As he did so he glared at the ground as though it held the secrets of his problems. When he looked up, his gaze was hesitant and confused but determined. "I trust you. However, don't ever let that trust be misplaced because you will regret it."  
  
Hashirama blinked before a grin broke onto his features. "Oh Madara-kun, it's such a happy day! You do have a heart after all. Rejoice in all miracles." He said happily in a sing song tone.  
  
Madara promptly smacked him on the head with a firm and satisfied, "Idiot." But there was a note of fondness in that tone as well. Hashirama just laughed and wrapped an arm around Madara's neck, yanking him closer. "Hey!" Madara spluttered in protest but his wiggles lacked conviction.  
  
"Oh before I forget." Hashirama stated suddenly and looking down at the pouting face of his friend, the usually spikey black locks in even more disarray due to his position. "We need to think of a way to let each other know that we've been here. So for the times when we're too busy to come, we'll at least know if one of us was here . . . or something like that at least."  
  
Hashirama let go of Madara when his pout changed to a thoughtful look. Madara drew a kunai and picked up two flat rocks. He then scratched something into both of them before turning them over to face Hashirama. "How's this? We'll put these over there by the entrance and if you've been here you turn it over to the side with your name. Then I'll come and see it and I'll know that you've been here and I'll turn it over to the blank side and turn mine over to show my name." Madara suggested.  
  
Hashirama was silent as he took in the stones. His expression turned very sad as his aura radiated despondency and self-doom. "Madara-kun." He whispered in a deathly depressed tone to which Madara's eyebrow twitched. "You spelt my name wrong."  
  
"Idiot." Madara yelled, trying to hit Hashirama once again but the other ducked out the way with a laugh. "You know for someone who just got back from a mission you have way too much energy." He added thoughtfully as he walked over to the entrance to place the stones, blank side up, on the floor.  
  
"Yeah well. I'm just happy to be back." Hashirama sighed before sitting down next to the blond Shinobi. There were so many things he wanted to tell Madara. Like his arranged marriage to Lady Mito and the mission he'd just been on but he couldn't. It would go against their code as Shinobi. Instead he asked "How's he doing?"  
  
"Like I said, there's improvement but I'm not sure how much. I'm not good at sensing." Madara  
replied with a shrug.  
  
"It's only been a week so I suppose improvement is better than nothing. How long does it usually take for them to wake up?" Hashirama was watching the unconscious Shinobi thoughtfully. It would be a shame if they had to kill him because he was an enemy.  
  
"Depends on the person really. I've seen some wake up after two weeks and others after two months. I haven't seen enough cases of this for it to actually have an average." Madara explained sitting down next to him.  
  
"I can't imagine pushing myself so far that I exhaust my chakra like this. Have you ever done it?"  
  
"No. I've never had the need to but I will if it means protecting my little brother." Madara's eyes darkened with determination and Hashirama found himself agreeing whole heartedly with the statement. Yes, he'd go that far if it meant protecting his younger brother.

* * *

It was about a week after he returned from the mission, with both he and Madara alternating visits to the cave that Hashirama returned to the cave to find Madara already there. He grinned cheekily as he approached as silently as he could.  
  
"Long time no see Madara-kun." Hashirama yelled before pouncing on the other who rolled out the way purely on reflex. He turned to face Hashirama with an irritated scowl. "One day you're going to do that Hashirama and I'm going to end up skewering you with a kunai."  
  
"Yeah, yeah spoil sport. Honestly, you'd think I was an idiot the way you go on sometimes. The day you can skewer me with a kunai is the day I deserve it for being so damn slow." Hashirama mocked with an air of playful arrogance.  
  
"Just for that, you get to bathe Uzumaki over here." Madara scowled, using the nickname they'd taken to calling the other Shinobi since 'the ninja' or 'the unconscious Shinobi' just wasn't very specific.  
  
"Bath?" Hashirama gulped. That was something they'd both totally forgotten about and it seemed that Madara had remembered, even making sure to bring a set of clothes for the helpless ninja.  
  
"Yes, idiot, bath. It's been two weeks." Madara replied wrinkling his nose. "And who knows how long before that."  
  
"And you brought him some clothes." Hashirama noted, tilting his head to the side and studying the plain black fabric that Madara had brought. It looked like a slightly larger version of the clothes he usually wore himself.  
  
"Yes I did because if he had to wear the type of clothes you wear he'd die from the shame." Madara replied before lifting Uzumaki and pulling down the metal tab that held his jacket together.  
  
"You know those links are really cool. I wonder where he got it from. It's ingenious." Hashirama chirped with a grin, choosing to ignore the comment about his clothes. Madara simply grunted his agreement as he pulled the once brightly coloured jacket off and tossed it at Hashirama's head. The boy was wearing a simple black shirt underneath and what looked like a chain link shirt.  
  
Hashirama at this point was helping Madara, his fingers battling with the brown material of the headband. It was tied as tightly as it could possibly be tied, making removing it rather troublesome but the Senju managed and placed the object carefully with the rest of the Uzumaki's quickly  
growing clothing pile.  
  
Soon they had the weapon pouches and the shoes removed as well, leaving the teen in nothing but his pants. The scars on his body spoke of a hard Shinobi life and both Hashirama and Madara knew the feeling. Was this teen a victim of these troubling times as well? He must be a good Shinobi to have survived so far.  
  
With swift practised movements Madara removed the teen's pants, leaving him in his underwear. "You know, this guy has the strangest things on his clothes." Hashirama was fiddling with the elastic on Uzumaki's jacket.  
  
"Yeah, yeah just help me out here." Madara said, waving a hand dismissively.  
  
"Are we taking him to the river?" Hashirama asked, grabbing the extra set of clothes and the Uzumaki's own ones so that they could be washed while Madara lifted the Uzumaki.  
  
"Yes. Unless you feel like practising your water style jutsus." Madara mused.  
  
"Hay, that's not a bad idea but that'll get our training field wet." Hashirama pouted at the thought. For the past week they'd been alternating between taijutsu matches and ninjutsu practise. They'd already learnt about each other that Madara was exceptional at fire style related jutsus and Hashirama was adept at both water style and earth style. If Madara could use any other styles he had yet to display the ability to do so.  
  
So to save them the trouble of a wet training field, the two trudged off to the river with Madara carrying the underwear clad unconscious Shinobi on his back and with Hashirama carrying the two sets of clothes in his arms.  
  
"You know what, you'll be carrying him back to the cave because really I think you got off easy here." Madara complained.  
  
"Aw but he looks so cute over there, drooling on your shoulder." Hashirama grinned in reply.  
  
"He's drooling!" Madara yelled in alarm which only further amused the Senju.  
  
"Relax!" Hashirama gasped between peals of laughter. "I was just kidding."  
  
Once they made it to the river, Hashirama stepped out first to see if there was anyone around, careful to look in every possible place a person could be. His brother had often said he needed to work on his sensing and he agreed with the younger Senju whole heartedly.  
  
Giving the all clear he signalled to Madara to come over and snickered the whole time Madara bathed their charge while he took care of the odd bright clothing. His water style jutsu got plenty of work that was for sure. The guy must have been doing some real heavy duty stuff before he fell into the river. Hashirama recognised it as the same sorts of stains and tiny rips that accompanied the men who built the houses. Was this guy building something? To his horror though, the orange clothing got even brighter the cleaner it got. How had he survived this long with something so eye burning? And Madara had the nerve to say his sense of style was warped.  
  
Madara on the other hand kept the boy's boxers firmly in place and he also took note that while the boy himself was small in stature his age was probably greater than their first estimation. His build and scaring suggested the dangerous life of a Shinobi, and a good one at that, as well as added to the age that Madara was slowly building in his mind. He'd say that Hashirama and himself were about twelve, thirteen maybe even fourteen. This teen was perhaps sixteen, seventeen and to a push eighteen. He'd have to wait for the teen to wake up and tell them to be  
sure.  
  
So what had caused him to end up in this predicament?  
  
Madara placed a hand on the boy's chest, trying to sense out any chakra to see how far he'd come since they'd found him. All he found was the tiny flicker that had only grown a tiny amount, almost unnoticeably so. Why was it taking so long? Did the teen even want to wake up at all?  
  
Madara would understand completely if he didn't. Even Hashirama would.  
  
"All done." Hashirama announced. "Now you can use your fire style to dry them. Just don't set them on fire kay!"  
  
The Uchiha rolled his eyes at the over active Senju before grumbling "Hey, come help me get him dressed." And added under his breath "And it wouldn't exactly be a crime if I did set those hideous things on fire."  
  
The two teens worked without talking to get the unconscious teen dry and into the clothes that Madara had brought. Both of them knew that this was a potentially dangerous thing to do but neither could truly find the energy to care. All they wanted was to help the teen.

* * *

Naruto could feel the coolness of the water, and it helped to wake him up some. He was more aware this time, if more aware meant he could feel the water, if only the slightest bit. It was nice, refreshing.  
  
He managed to remember that he was supposed to be somewhere, he was supposed to be doing something but he couldn't remember the specifics. He had to wake up now but he couldn't, he just didn't have the energy, his body and mind automatically preferring sleep.  
  
The water, no matter how cool, couldn't keep his attention for very long and he found himself slipping under yet again.  
  
Still he kept waking up. Well waking up wasn't quite the right way to say it. Perhaps, becoming aware was better after all. Little things began to catch his attention too. All the little things he hadn't really noticed until he no longer had it, like the smallest twitch in his hands felt like something that was the greatest achievement in his life. Or the slight shift in his surroundings, the temperature or even the terrain.  
  
He didn't hear anything at first but sounds came long before movement did. It wasn't anything distinguishable when it did come, just an in and out blur of noise that was both comforting and loud at the same time. Later, he began to pick out things like a bird's call, rushing water at times, and the sound of approaching footsteps. He didn't know why but those footsteps were something he looked forward to.  
  
Then he began to notice that there were two different types of footsteps, one that was hurried and almost cheerful in a sense and another than was slow and measured, each step controlled. Yet both sets of footsteps were cautious. Both were the footsteps of Shinobi.  
  
As Naruto began to grow more and more aware, one thing he found himself having far too much time of, was time to think. Things began to swirl in his mind, things he hadn't really thought about before, like Sasuke and Danzo-teme, Jiji and his Otou-san. His Otou-san had hoped for him to be a hero, the Sandaime hadn't said a word about his parents to him, only telling him that they died in the Kyuubi attack and there was no point in talking about the dead. He thought about Sakura-chan  
and Hinata-chan, the two vastly different kunoichi that they were and wondered what he truly felt about them now. He thought about a lot of things, about the villages, about ramen, a lot of ramen, his days at the Academy and the days spent with Jiraiya, Kakashi, Yamato and all the other Shinobi of Konoha. He even thought about his failures and why they were classified as such. Heck, his mind must have been really bored if Itachi crossed it on more than one occasion.  
  
Mostly though, he found himself thinking about the Kyuubi and his hatred and he found himself leaning towards agreeing with the Kyuubi because being trapped, quite frankly, sucked. Was this helpless yet aware feeling what the Kyuubi had all the time? He could see everything around him, yet there was nothing he could do except sit within Naruto and brood. No wonder he was such a grouch.  
  
Naruto just had too much time to think.

* * *

"Hey, Madara, should we move him into the sun? You know, cause he might be tired of the inside of the cave." Hashirama suggested. It had now been four weeks since finding the Shinobi and his chakra had grown some since then but not as much as the two would've liked.  
  
Madara gave the once again orange clad Shinobi a glance before picking him up and placing him on the outside of the cave, directly in the sun.  
  
"Sometimes Hashirama, I don't know what goes in in that bowl cut head of yours."  
  
"So mean . . ."  
  
"Whatever, now are we going to spar today or not?" Madara replied, crossing his arms and looking away. He really hated those snap depression things that idiot fell into.  
  
"Hell yeah! Come at me with all you've got." Hashirama looked up, the cloud of doom dissipating as quickly as it had formed, a large grin on his face.  
  
"As though I'd need to." Madara scoffed arrogantly. But the spikey haired boy grinned back all the same and pulled out a kunai, rushing towards the other at full speed.

* * *

Warm. Everything was warm. It was nice. The ground was also softer.  
  
Naruto's hand shifted the tiniest amount but he still did not have the energy needed to really move. Thoughts were more coherent now, not too disjointed. Still, the blond was desperately wishing for some other company other than his own thoughts. He'd tried talking to Kyuubi but he couldn't focus his mind enough for that.  
  
Instead, he found himself becoming strangely eager for the sounds of his two Shinobi caretakers. There was only ever the two, only ever the hurried yet happy one and the cautious and measured one. However, they were both rather attentive to him, as a Shinobi.  
  
Naruto wondered who they were, and why the Leaf hadn't found him yet. He even wondered how he'd come to be here and wondered if Danzo had somehow made good on that promise to turn him into a weapon.  
  
He listened to all the conversations he could but there was never any mention of Shinobi villages so he didn't even know whether he was with the enemy or with allies. It had to be allies though, since they were caring for him.  
At the current moment, they were going through their daily spar. It was a routine of theirs, to train whenever they were together in the little clearing outside the cave and this was the first time Naruto was outside with them.  
  
He was deeply curious about their skill and techniques. Today they seemed to be focusing on Taijutsu and by the sounds of it, it was a good spar and the urge to see the world around him only grew. Naruto was almost desperate to get out of this helplessness. He wasn't used to it and he hoped it ended soon. He seemed to be getting better though.  
  
Slowly, he tried to open his eyes, managing only to open his lids so that a sliver of light hit his pupils, immediately burning them. But he could see and that made his spirits soar. Perhaps he wouldn't be so helpless for very much longer. Naruto couldn't wait for the day that he was able to at least talk to his two caretakers.  
  
Best part about it was, he could tell that the two shared a special bond, just like he and Sasuke did.

* * *

Four weeks turned to six and with every passing day, Naruto felt better and the two Shinobi that cared for him grew stronger. They didn't much mind that in each case it was only a little bit each day, only a little, barely noticeable at all but the progress was there all the same.  
  
The two weren't always together but one of them always came to care for the unconscious Shinobi, never missing a single day if they could help it. Naruto was learning how to sense things in ways he'd never thought possible, his growing chakra allowing him to sense further and further, till he could tell that oddly enough the two younger teens did not live together and in fact came from opposite directions.  
  
They didn't always just train. Sometimes they would just talk, conversations that Naruto was only half aware of. But they seemed to enjoy their talks just as much as they enjoyed their spars.  
  
Madara and Hashirama were beginning to grow tired of the same training ground, or perhaps they were growing restless for a new challenge. They spoke about it but grudgingly agreed that they would wait until the older teen was able to move.  
  
So it was with some much anticipated excitement that they finally noticed fluttering eyelids half way into the sixth week.  
  
"Madara! He looks like he's waking up." Hashirama yelled cheerfully to the boy who was still approaching the cave. He'd only just gotten there himself and had been about to move Uzumaki into the sun. He'd sensed Madara's approach when he'd landed in the clearing himself. He hadn't seen the other boy much this week and was glad that he was seeing him today.  
  
Madara rushed into the cave, falling into a crouch next to Hashirama. He'd never admit it, but he was just as excited as Hashirama was. This was going to be great!  
  
But a part of them was fearful. What if he was an enemy? What if after all the work they'd put in, they'd have to kill him anyway?  
  
Naruto groaned so softly it was almost inaudible. His hand twitched and his eyelids fluttered. Slowly, he managed to lift them, noting that today there was no bright light to immediately assault his pupils.  
  
Madara and Hashirama almost gasped at the brilliant blue. They'd never seen a colour like that  
before. They were so blue . . .  
  
Everything was blurry, unfocused. He could hardly make out any shapes or colours. It was confusing yet exhilarating at the same time. He was finally making some progress, even if it was something as small as opening his eyes.  
  
"Hey, can you talk?" A breathless voice asked, sounding way louder than what it probably was.  
  
"W-w-wa-ter?"  
  
Nearly seven weeks and that was the first word he'd managed to speak. Great going Naruto. The silence and the lack of people was killing him though. He was a social creature and needed the bonds he formed to keep him grounded. He hoped that wherever he was and whoever he was with, they were allies. He wasn't in any position to escape if they weren't.  
  
"Oh, my bad." That same voice from before. A black and creamy coloured blob moved closer and something cold and wet was placed against his lips.  
  
Naruto drank slowly, not want to choke. When he was finished he felt loads better and managed to give a small lopsided smile to the other ninja.  
  
"Th-thanks."  
  
"So what's your name?" A new voice asked calmly, reminding the blond a lot of Sasuke.  
  
"Uzu-maki Na-ru-to. Who are you?" Each word, every syllable was stated slowly, with difficulty.  
  
Hashirama looked to Madara, both of them surprised. The teen had given his full name? Perhaps he had hit his head after all.  
  
"I am Madara, and he is Hashirama."  
  
"Hehe, sounds familiar, like a history lesson I probably slept through." Naruto replied with a tired giggle.  
  
"Huh?" Madara and Hashirama stated in unison. This guy was nuts!  
  
"Konoha, that's where I'm from. It was founded by the Uchiha and the Senju. At the time the clan heads were Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama." Naruto explained, hearing the confusion more than seeing it in the blobs in front of him.  
  
"Impossible. The Senju and the Uchiha are rivals. They'd never be the founders of anything, at least not together." Hashirama was shaking his head.  
  
"But they did. They founded my village. Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. You must have heard of it. It's one of the Great Shinobi Nations." Naruto was frowning slightly now.  
  
"There's no such thing as a ninja village." Hashirama replied sadly. He actually felt sorry for the teen. He'd clearly been hit by a jutsu that damaged the mind and there was no curing that. "There are only the clans and none of them work together unless it's mutually beneficial to them and it's never for long."  
  
"Only clans? It hasn't been like that since the Era of the Warring States. It hasn't been like that for eighty years." Naruto was getting more than confused now.  
  
Madara on the other hand grabbed Hashirama's shoulder, cutting off his reply. He dragged the  
boy outside the cave, eyes glaring at the ground when he finally did let go of the other.  
  
"Tell me you aren't a Senju." Madara stated quietly.  
  
"Madara?"  
  
"Whoever that boy is, wherever he comes from, he knows who we are. Unless . . . tell me you aren't a Senju."  
  
"You're asking me something personal like that based on a possible enemy's words? He said clan heads, Madara, which neither of us are." Hashirama argued back.  
  
"I am an Uchiha." Madara growled. "I am the son of the clan head. Tell me you aren't a Senju!"  
  
Hashirama's eyes widened at the admission and realisation dawned where panic had begun to set in. " _Konoha, that's where I'm from. It was founded by the Uchiha and the Senju. At the time the clan heads were Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama._ " Could the boy have known who they were all along? But he didn't appear to see them as such. Either way what did his words mean?  
  
"I am the son of the clan head." Hashirama replied looking away.  
  
"So where does that leave us?" Madara asked. Neither of them moved. This was a moment that was never supposed to happen. They were never to know each other's family names and confirm that which they had unconsciously suspected all along.  
  
"The Senju killed my brothers." Madara whispered.  
  
"The Uchiha killed mine." Hashirama replied just as softly, as brokenly.  
  
So where did that leave them?  
  
An uncomfortable silence rang in the air, their family names dictating that they were enemies yet their hearts telling them they were friends, sharing a bond that no one else could understand.  
  
Hashirama looked up from the ground. He stared at the boy he'd come to call friend, a boy he trusted with his life. He was still the same boy, no matter what his name was or where he came from.  
  
"I want the war to stop. I want to create a world where children aren't forced to fight. That still hasn't changed." Hashirama stated with determination. "And I still want you to do it with me."  
  
Madara's dark eyes jerked to him in surprise.  
  
"A name is a name. You could have killed me many times over and I you. So . . . I trust you, just don't let that trust be misplaced or you'll regret it." Hashirama continued with a grin, mirroring the very words Madara had spoken to him before.  
  
"I . . ." Madara look away, pain flaring in his eyes before he turned back to Hashirama, the same determination in his eyes as the other. "A name is more than a name, or else we wouldn't have to hide it." Blood red Sharingan swirled to life but the Senju did not look away. "However, I feel as though you do, for the sake of my brother Izuna. You and I will take our clans to new heights . . . and we shall do so, together."  
  
Hashirama grinned broadly. "And I have a feeling that crazy blond is going to help."  
  
The two clasped their hands together with a smile, Hashirama's a toothy grin while Madara's was  
a small smirk. Yes, they were going to take the ninja world by storm.


	2. 【章二】

**What it takes to be Hokage.**  
  
 **Chapter 2**  
  
Madara and Hashirama returned to the cave only to find the teen fast asleep again. They'd wanted to talk to him but some things, like chakra exhausted crazy ass Shinobi who needed to regain their strength, couldn't be helped.  
  
A strange weight had lifted from their shoulders. They knew each other's names, knew they were supposed to be enemies, but in spite of that they had chosen to still stick together.  
  
"Bet you can't beat me in taijutsu anymore." Madara smirked, Sharingan swirling into existence.  
  
"Oh yeah? Let's put that to the test." Hashirama grinned but paused to look back at the sleeping ninja. "Still, blondie is weird. Wonder what he was talking about, but at least he's getting better now."  
  
"Yeah. At least he's talking. Still don't know if he's an enemy and that could be our greatest mistake yet. Let's just be hopeful that he doesn't catch us by surprise; that this isn't going to come back and bite us on the ass." Madara replied darkly, walking out into the clearing while Hashirama put the teen in the sun, purely out of habit.  
  
The moment he was done he pulled out a kunai and rushed at the Uchiha, grinning broadly the whole time. "Yeah, yeah Madara. Put your paranoia to the side. I've for a fight to win and it's really no fun when you're this distracted."

* * *

Fighting, they were fighting again. Naruto sighed before opening his eyes, squinting through the bright light. They were so persistent. He wondered if they were trying to prove something. He didn't say anything nor shift any part of his body to alert them to his conscious state. He merely watched.  
  
He could tell there were Uchiha style attacks and counter attacks from the one blob. It was in the way he moved. The other one seemed to be like the Academy style, only way better, more elaborate, but Naruto couldn't be sure. He still couldn't see very well but it was getting better with every blink.  
  
Every time one was knocked down, they got straight back up and Naruto admired the ethic. He was familiar with it after all. It was also unclear to him who the better was. They seemed to be equal which was something that confused the blond. Uchiha were supposed to be better, but then again, they were supposed to be dead.  
  
Naruto supposed if he really wanted to get moving all he'd have to do is go into Sage Mode. He was forced into a state of motionlessness anyway, so it wouldn't be all that hard but that might startle his caretakers, and he still wasn't sure where he stood with them. They had said that there were no such things as Ninja villages, that the Senju and the Uchiha would never work together, but that was just ridiculous.  
  
Still, Naruto enjoyed their company, even if they themselves seemed to have been born and raised under a rock.  
  
However, they each disappeared in opposite directions every time they left. They did not live together. So that meant two entirely different families having been raised under metaphorical rocks. He knew they had families from the snippets of conversations he'd heard and he was intrigued with some of the things they spoke of. Still, this was confusing in ways that he'd never been introduced to before.  
  
Naruto was getting to the part where things just never made sense to him, and people stopped trying to explain it to him so he decided to try someone else, or rather some _thing_ else. Perhaps now he'd be able to concentrate enough to talk to the Kyuubi.  
  
He allowed his eyes to drift shut once more, focusing on falling deeper within himself. Briefly he wondered where the fox had been in terms of chakra. He shouldn't have taken this long to recover in the first place.  
  
_Drip._  
  
 _Drip._  
  
 _Drip._  
  
Opening his eyes, Naruto was delighted to find that not only had he succeeded, but he was standing as well. Stretching out and grinning broadly, the blond took full advantage of this sudden turn of events.  
  
"This is waaaay better than just lying around all day." Naruto said out loud, not caring in the slightest that there wasn't anyone around to hear him. Taking off with a chuckle the blond raced through the corridors to find the fox. He wasn't particularly eager to see the fox, not after what had happened during the fight with Pein but oh well. Desperate times called for desperate measures.  
  
At least this was the place where he had met his Otou-san. Just thinking about it made Naruto giddy. It sucked that he still didn't know who his mother was but that was alright. He'd ask Baachan about it later.  
  
The splash that the water made as his feet slammed down on it always amused Naruto. His mindscape really was something, even if it was only a sewer. It was still fascinating. But now was not the time to be making trivial observations; he'd reached the turn that lead to the Kyuubi's cage.  
  
"Hey! Fuzzball, you awake?" Naruto screeched into the darkness that usually shrouded the ninetails. He slowed down to a walk before stopping outside the bars that contained the powerful beast.  
  
One blood red eye opened in annoyance before large teeth gleamed at him. The growl was deep enough that it vibrated right through Naruto, making him feel like he'd just been in an Earthquake.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes." Naruto grinned, not intimidated by the fox's quirks anymore. "So how come I'm still down and out?" Naruto continued.  
  
**"It is my job to keep you alive from life threatening injuries. There's not much even I can do against stupidity and you, brat, have it in spades."** Kyuubi sneered, not at all enjoying this visit. He'd been so close to freedom that it had actually hurt only to have that damnable Fourth Hokage interfere once again.  
  
"So what the hell is wrong with me?" Naruto asked, ignoring the comment about his intelligence. He'd heard just about every insult there was.  
  
**"Chakra exhaustion. A rare kind that I have not seen since the days of the warring clans. Which brings us back to your stupidity. I am not wont to heal injuries caused by time travel. You were the foolish human that attempted such a moronic path, you are the foolish human that must live with the consequences. At any rate, your body is restoring itself far faster now that you are awake, or able to be so. You should be regaining your strength sooner now."** Wow, the Kyuubi was being suspiciously helpful at the moment. It was actually kind of nice and it saved time.  
  
Wait a minute . . .  
  
"Time travel?!" Naruto squeaked. "That's impossible."  
  
**"Incorrect foolish brat. You have just done such a feat so therefore it is possible. However it's extremely foolish to even contemplate attempting which is why you're the senseless foolish moron who clearly lacks intelligence. Nevertheless, you've managed, in all your Kami given luck, to land with the two damnable humans I hate more than the Yondaime: Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara. The founding fathers of that pathetic crater you call a village. They are perhaps the only two humans in this era who are too stupid and too curious to kill you upon sight. Instead they cared for you, when all others would have ended you."** Kyuubi chuckled darkly. **"Well they would have tried but they would have found it a much more troublesome pass time than what it was worth."**  
  
"So Konoha really doesn't exist?" Naruto was, amazingly, grasping this concept well.  
  
**"No. Not for several more years. But hey, now you can have a hand in the creation of the place. Who knows I might even give you a few pointers."** Kyuubi being helpful was something to worry about, so to save his own sanity Naruto decided to pass that off for sarcasm.  
  
"So what do I do now?" Naruto whispered. "And how did I get here?"  
  
**"You know, you're surprisingly agreeable today brat. Perhaps on some unconscious level you already knew this. Either way, I don't care what you do now so long as it meets two conditions. Don't die and leave me alone."**  
  
"Thanks for the support Fuzzball." Naruto snapped before his features softened somewhat. "And thanks for the information. Usually you're more of a pain about things.  
  
**"I've come to the conclusion that if I give you what you want, you'll leave faster, so now it's your turn to hold up your end of the deal. Leave."** The lone blood red eye closed, indicating that the fox was done talking now.  
  
Naruto backed away, his mood now reflecting on what he had learned and the implications thereof rather than exuberant over the fact that he was able to actually move around in his mindscape.  
  
So he was really in the past. Unless the fox was just messing with him. Aw man, why hadn't he paid closer attention to history?  
  
How was he going to convince the two that were taking care of him that he was from the future and that where he came from, they were the greatest ninja to ever live?  
  
Hang on? Since when were Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama friends?  
  
Well what do you know, the bonds of friendship seemed to be a one in every generation kind of thing. Kakashi had told him about Obito. Then Ero-sennin had told him about Orochimaru once. It just sucked that they always ended the same way and that was badly.  
  
Naruto was jerked from his mindscape when someone shoved something into his mouth.  
  
He opened his eyes to see the Uchiha blob in front of him. "You missed breakfast." He was informed curtly.  
  
This kid, this serious Uchiha . . . this was one of the greatest ninja ever and he was force feeding Naruto? Fate had a terrible sense of humour. Naruto was inclined to agree with Neji on that one.  
  
"Are you going to kill me?" Naruto managed to rasp out when the cup was taken away from his mouth. Seemed they were feeding him liquids. Made sense since he couldn't exactly chew while unconscious.  
  
"Do I need to?" Madara replied, quirking an eyebrow. He was perfectly serious.

"I won't fight you, or Hashirama. I respect you too much for that." Naruto replied.  
  
"Respect? You don't even know us." Madara replied with narrowed eyes.  
  
"Oh lay off the suspicion Madara, he just complimented us." Hashirama chirped, returning from wherever it was that he'd been prompting the Uchiha to roll his eyes. Trust Hashirama to completely disregard the possible danger this boy presented.  
  
"I don't have to. You two, you're Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama. You may not be it now but you'll be the two greatest ninja in the elemental nations since the Sage of Sixth paths." Naruto sighed with a small smile, ignoring or missing the tensing of the two Shinobi at the mention of their full names. "I know so."  
  
"What the hell is he going on about?" Hashirama whispered not so softly to Madara.  
  
"I'm not from here, this time I mean. I've come to the realisation that I'm from the future, about eighty years or so to be exact." Naruto interrupted.  
  
"Time travel? Is that even possible?" Madara was sceptical.  
  
"Ooooo time travel! How fun. Quick, tell me what the future is like?" Hashirama yelled happily not at all concerned with whether it was possible or not. "Do they have really cool jutsu? Are the girls kick ass craz–" "You can't be serious Hashirama." Madara complained.  
  
"Nothing is impossible, Madara. You just have to have the right determination. " Hashirama lectured the Uchiha as though speaking to a small child before returning his attention to a weakly chuckling blond, his tone growing serious. "Now, Naruto was it? Tell me, do the children still fight in the wars?"  
  
"I guess I might as well explain everything, well everything that I know. I wasn't the most attentive person, but who knows, maybe I'll know more than I thought. Anyways all ninja belong to hidden villages and wear a headband to show which one they belong to. See, like mine. I belong to Konoha, only the greatest village ever." Naruto began. "Not every Shinobi does though. Some are rogues and some leave, slashing through their symbol to show that they are no longer loyal to their village but that they're still ninja. There are even some ninja who wander around, like nomads. Anyways, there are a lot of ninja villages but there are only five that are considered to be really powerful. They're called the Five Great Shinobi Nations . . ." Naruto began to tell the two,  
who despite their earlier reservations over whether or not Naruto was a spy or an enemy were listening intently, all about the Shinobi world he'd grown up in. He spoke of the Kage and what it meant to be one. He spoke of the allied nations and smaller ninja villages. He spoke about things he hadn't even been aware that he knew of until it just came out or popped into his head. Man if his team could see him now, they'd be impressed with how much he actually remembered, understood and could relate to others in a way that was possible for them to understand as well.  
  
The more he spoke the more captivated Hashirama and Madara grew, growing comfortable with his large sparkling blue eyes, and becoming infatuated with the clear love that Naruto held for his village. It was simply impossible not to trust the teen.  
  
He gave detailed explanations about the ranking system and how the missions were ranked accordingly, making sure that no ninja got a mission above his skill level unless the client lied about the mission. This fact particularly interested Madara and Hashirama. They seemed to be overly pleased with it in fact. Naruto guessed it had something to do with the children they'd asked about earlier.  
  
Naruto continued talking, telling them all about Konoha; how it was run and what it represented; the bonds that they developed with their fellow ninja . . . the will of fire. He spoke until the sun crested in the sky and then sank low into the horizon, until his voice was hoarse and cracking and still it seemed like he hadn't said enough.  
  
He was growing too tired to stay awake though and his sentences kept trailing off. He supposed that tomorrow was another day but he'd come to realise something in the process of speaking. He had the opportunity to change everything that had ever gone wrong. All the mistakes, all the heartaches, like the ninja wars that had given birth to Shinobi like Nagato, he could change it all.  
  
He wanted to change more than just the wars. Konoha, no matter how much he loved it, needed to be changed. There were some things within the village that Naruto knew with all his heart were not right. He'd change it, he'd make Konoha a place where bonds were true and lasting, where every man, woman and child felt the will of fire right to their core . . . but not because they were forced to or because they were brainwashed to, but because they wanted to. Iruka-sensei had told him that a child, the way they were, always depended on how they had grown up, how their parents deemed to raise them. So, treating Konoha like his child, Naruto was going to raise the strongest will of fire he could, in all of the people that came to call the place home. He wanted to create a world where no one would ever want to run away from it; no one would ever want to betray it. A world strong enough to withstand any attack.  
  
But no matter how much Naruto tried to stay awake, no matter how much he tried to tell them everything in one day, he couldn't. So when the blond finally nodded off and started snoring, Madara lifted him and placed him back in the cave, under the blanket that Hashirama had stolen for him so many weeks ago.  
  
"The world he describes, it's exactly as we've always talked about . . . it's more." Hashirama's eyes were wide, wondering.  
  
"We can't believe him just yet . . . no matter how tempting. For now, I believe we should return home. It's almost dark." Madara replied softly. "We're already late."

* * *

Hashirama hurried through the trees as fast as he could, panting hard as he tried to make it before the light got too poor and the guards mistook him for an enemy.  
  
He was almost there, just a few more trees. Ducking the kunai, the Senju dropped to the ground  
and skidded to a halt.  
  
"You're late, brother." Tobirama stated calmly.  
  
"I know." Hashirama stated sheepishly. "But today was an exciting day. I have discovered a great many things."  
  
"Why don't you tell us some of these things." A new voice said from the shadows just inside the compound, which Hashirama was still standing outside of.  
  
"Otou-san." Hashirama greeted with a bow. "I have learnt nothing that would be of value to an experienced Shinobi such as yourself. I am sure that you have already discovered such things." Hashirama lied to his Otou-san often, so much so that he barely felt guilty about it anymore. However, should his Otou-san learn of his Uchiha friend and the Uzumaki he was caring for, then he would likely be killed for it, so lying was necessary.  
  
"I see. Well be sure not to be late again." Then his Otou-san's soft footsteps were walking away.  
  
"You shouldn't lie to him so much, brother." Tobirama stated softly.  
  
"I know, but he would never understand. I, baby brother, have found a way to bring peace to this land, and you are going to help me. All of the Senju are. But not just yet. I have to get stronger before I can do that." Hashirama winked at his ever so serious little brother before walking past him and into the compound, leaving him to decipher the cryptic remark on his own.  
  
"Peace? Is there really such a thing?" Tobirama was following him now. "And when are you going to stay inside the compound and train for once? You haven't sparred with me in months."  
  
"Would you like to spar right now?" Hashirama asked with a grin.  
  
Tobirama hesitated before a rare smile lit his features. He knew that his brother was probably tired from having run back home but Hashirama was still offering to spar with him. He had the greatest big brother ever, even if sometimes he didn't act like he was the oldest.  
  
"Sure. Let's go to the training ground with the torches."  
  
"Isn't that one in the middle of the compound?" Hashirama asked, scratching his head.  
  
"What, you afraid that someone will steal your moves?" Tobirama teased.  
  
"No, no. Just checking." Hashirama replied before taking off and heading to the training ground.  
  
Tobirama shook his head before following his brother, matching his pace. When they arrived the two began to light the torches with chakra, making the fire a little hotter than had they used natural fire.  
  
"Ready little brother?" Hashirama asked with a teasing smile.  
  
"I can take whatever you throw at me, Hashirama. You slack off on your training too much." Tobirama replied confidently.  
  
The two rushed at each other, Hashirama laughing in delight the entire time. Tobirama was as serious as ever. The taijutsu match that ensued managed to capture the attention of most of the other Senju who were now surrounding the sparring brothers' training field, watching with soft proud smiles. These children were the future of their clan, children who were to surpass their parents and take the clan further and they were promising. It was a shame that their brothers had  
not survived. But that was a regret many would never speak of. After all, a Shinobi died with honour when they died on the battle field, no matter if that Shinobi was nothing more than a child.  
  
"You're not even using the Senju style anymore you bastard!" Tobirama yelled while Hashirama laughed.  
  
"Don't need to little brother, you're just that slow." Hashirama felt lighter than he had in years. Uzumaki Naruto, if his story was true, represented a world he wanted with all his heart. A place for his brother to be safe and that was something he would strive to achieve, no matter how much work it took.

* * *

Madara walked casually through the Uchiha compound gates. He kept an air of arrogance around him . . . sneered at those he passed. It was expected of him and he'd be lying if he said that a small part of him didn't enjoy it. However the larger part of him did not. He was the clan head's son, and he was exceptional for his age. That should really do all the speaking for him, rather than having to have this charade.  
  
"You're finally home, brother." Izuna watched him from the shadows, newly activated Sharingan spinning lazily. Another exceptional Uchiha. What would he say if he should learn of Madara's friendship with a Senju far beyond his years as well?  
  
"Did your mission go well?" Madara replied softly, the arrogance leaving his tone.  
  
"Yes." Simple, to the point. He would not say more and Madara would not ask.  
  
Uzumaki Naruto's words flashed through his mind and Madara found himself wondering if it was really possible. Did he really go so far as to make a pact with the Senju just to keep his brother safe?  
  
Looking at the boy, he realised that he would do anything to make sure his younger sibling remained in this realm, this realm of the live and well.  
  
However, Senju Hashirama was different, in more way than just your average Senju. He was in a whole other league, giving even his Sharingan a run. Yet his attitude in life was like no other. Madara could and would believe in anything that boy proposed and he'd follow him to the other ends of the elemental nations if that is what he desired.  
  
Why?  
  
Why would he go so far for a Senju, a ninja that was supposed to be his most hated enemy?  
  
Because Senju Hashirama understood and had experienced his pain.  
  
Understanding, something no one else had ever boasted to have when it concerned Uchiha Madara, an enigma even to his own younger brother. That was why he'd go so far for a Senju.

* * *

It was three full days before Madara and Hashirama could get back to Naruto. When they did manage to get to the cave, mere minutes apart from the other, it was with some shock to see that Naruto was gripping the entrance of the cave, knuckles white and eyes determined.  
  
When he saw then however, he lost his grip and crumbled to the floor with an oof.  
  
Drawing closer they saw that a fine sheen of perspiration was now covering his face, making the small hairs at the back of his neck stick down. His breathing was uneven, sharp and hazard, but he grinned at them, eyes sparkling with happiness.  
  
"Hey guys? Been busy?" He asked cheerfully.  
  
"We could say the same about you." Madara shrugged.  
  
"Oh, yeah well I don't like sitting still. So far I've managed to get to the entrance. But it took me three days to do it. Which, quite frankly, sucks." Naruto pouted.  
  
"He's an Uzumaki. I'm surprised he's not stir crazy by now." Hashirama shook his head.  
  
"You know, I don't know any Uzumaki. They were all killed expect for a few survivors during the Third or Second Shinobi War. Not sure which one seeing as I sucked at history." Naruto commented thoughtfully, his eyes dimming as he frowned.  
  
"An entire clan?!" Hashirama squeaked in alarm.  
  
"Jip. They got too powerful I think. But I never did learn any sealing because there was no one left to teach it. It's practically a dying art in the future. You know, if we do things right, then we can stop that." Naruto visibly brightened at the suggestion. "And in Kiri there was this Bloodline purge going on and that really sucked. People, guilty or innocent, were killed just for having something they were born with. Konoha praises their bloodlines, so the idea of just snuffing them out like that. It's just wrong!" Naruto shuddered and so did Madara, his Sharingan activating in his silent anger. "I think we should, I dunno, try and bring some clans from Kiri here, if we can . . . so that they don't have to fall into that again." Naruto added very quietly.  
  
"I'm sure we can look at it, but just remember Naruto, not everyone here is like us. In fact I think we're the only two that are even thinking about something like this." Hashirama agreed softly before growing serious. "Not everyone is going to be open to this idea of peace. They like the fighting too much. This isn't going to be easy and it's going to take time."  
  
Naruto blinked at him before growing distant, thoughtful. "What's it like here? Why did you want to build Konoha?"  
  
Madara and Hashirama looked at each other before sitting down in front of Naruto. "Well, simply put, it's so that the clans no longer have to clash with each other. So that children, like us and our brothers, don't have to fight in these meaningless wars."  
  
"But why do they fight?" Naruto's brows furrowed together. This concept was something he could never understand. Sure he figured a good punch or two was enough to knock anyone around and back into their senses. But a full on war? That was just overkill.  
  
"Power, land, money. It doesn't matter why. They just do. The problem is, that in these warring times, Shinobi aren't expected to live longer than 30 years. That is just a fact of life." Madara replied with a growl of anger. "Because of this children are trained from the time they can hold a kunai. As such the children are sent into these battles with little experience and hardly enough training. The enemy target the children, killing them because they represent two things, an easy kill, and the next generation. Without children, there can be no future Shinobi."  
  
"30! No way! Jiji was practically ancient. Bet you guys don't have any of those huh? And how can they send kids into wars? It's just not right!" Naruto fumed, wishing he had the strength to do more than yell right about now.  
  
"It isn't but from the time we're born, we're taught that it's an honour to die in battle, that a Shinobi can do no greater deed for their clan. Both Madara and I have lost siblings to this senseless fighting already." Hashirama agreed, looking away in anger and pain. "The Senju and the Uchiha are perhaps the most well-known, and as such, the ones who have to fight the most. That is why I said it's unheard of for a Senju and an Uchiha to work together." Hashirama had turned to look at Naruto again with a burning gaze.  
  
"But you guys did. You created something amazing." Naruto grinned. "And this time I'll be here to tell you guys what you were most known for so that you can focus on those areas, becoming even more badass and I can tell you guys what you did wrong. No offense intended, really, it's just that I think some things might have looked really great at the time, but they aren't really now. Like for example, the ranking system. You guys could change that. Instead of genin, chunin, tokubetsu jonin and jonin, it can be divided into something like genin, tokubetsu genin, chunin, tokubetsu chunin, tokubetsu jonin, jonin, elite jonin. See some of the missions that come through can be ranked differently too. Trust me, when you have a genin team whining about the D-rank missions, it'll be a lot easier to tell them that they're genin and not tokubetsu genin. And for that matter only tokubetsu genin can enter the chunin exams and they can only be tokubetsu genin if they've been genin for at least a year." Naruto ranted, trying to get something he felt rather strongly about across. Secretly it stemmed from a long frustration of being merely a genin. Also, his own chunin exam had been a disaster and really, those preliminary rounds sucked."  
  
Madara and Hashirama looked at each other with a raised brow before looking back to Naruto's serious pout. They couldn't help but laugh at the blond. "Naruto, that ranking system works just fine. Don't mess with a good thing." Hashirama managed to reply between chuckles.  
  
The blond only pouted more. However, at least the two were smiling again. Their lives, the Era of the Warring Clans, quite frankly sucked. It was no wonder they grew to be so strong; they had to. And this time around Naruto was determined to help them along the way.


	3. 【章三】

**This fic will focus on relatively short chapters, roughly 5000 words or so. At least that's what I plan in my head but sometimes the story just does its own thing and 5000 words quickly becomes 10,000 but for now, it shall remain 5000.**

* * *

**What it takes to be Hokage**  
  
 **Chapter 3**  
  
Naruto huffed in exhaustion as he leaned heavily on Madara's left side. "I never knew walking took so much energy." He gasped.  
  
"Cheer up Naruto! You're getting better all the time." Hashirama offered with a warm smile.  
  
"Aww man, you don't get it. I've never been down and out this long." Naruto whined. "I'm an Uzumaki!" he added for further protest and Hashirama laughed.  
  
"Ohkay, ohkay, I get it now. This really must be killing you huh?" Hashirama asked, cocking his head to the side.  
  
"Yes. It is. Now weren't you supposed to be really great at medical ninjutsu? Paving the way for all aspiring medic nins?" Naruto asked with a pout.  
  
"Not there yet. Madara, remind the ninja that we are only children." Hashirama stated and told the other black haired Shinobi, rather unnecessarily seeing as Naruto heard his words all the same.  
  
"I'm still trying to wrap my head around you being a medical ninja in anything. You can't even keep a decent campfire going." Madara snorted, helping Naruto by lowering him to the floor so that he could sit down.  
  
"So mean. . ." Hashirama wilted, the small cloud of self-doom bubbling to life above his head. "You're the one that's great with fire style."  
  
"You've got to be kidding me." Madara growled in annoyance while Naruto chuckled. The founders of Konoha never ceased to amaze him. Hashirama was more like a child than anything, yet he was powerful and would only grow more so. Madara was an Uchiha but he was nothing like what Naruto would expect from the arrogant clan. He also had a tendency to overreact. A lot. Just as Hashirama had a tendency to fall into snap depressions. It was all very amusing to the blond.  
  
The fact that the Uchiha and the Senju had decided to take Naruto's words at face value was never mentioned. The situation they found themselves in was simply accepted as it was. It had been two whole months since Naruto had fallen into their world and he was making progress; slow progress.  
  
He did wonder if the realisation, the knowledge of what they were supposed to achieve, was more of a burden to them, like a great pressure weighing them down, instead of the chance to grow powerful with the help of everything that Naruto knew. After all, it wasn't every day that one learnt they were supposed to be the founders of a village such as Konoha and keep the peace across the entire elemental nations. Not only that, it had to be daunting to realise that they were the creators of an entirely new way of life, a different way of living. It was a way of life that was, as Naruto had seen it, in danger of extinction because of mistakes that could not have been foreseen at the time of Konoha's creation.  
  
But then, he remembered that he was the Child of Prophecy and he had been carrying that title for  
a while now and that in his hands rested the fate of his precious people. If he did this right then everything in the future, his true present, would turn out perfectly. Or so that was his plan.  
  
He did wonder if his actions would interfere with the birth of certain people, the natural events that he had come to know as his own reality, but he'd never actually find out because he had no idea how he'd gotten here in the first place and he had no idea how to go back to his own time either. So he was stuck here, and he doubted he'd live that long anyway. Mito had lived long enough to see a very young version of his mother but that was all.  
  
"Hey, I managed to remember some stuff that you guys might be interested in." Naruto stated suddenly, getting the other two's attention immediately, and pulling his own mind from the somewhat depressive thoughts.  
  
Truthfully, he'd been talking to the Kyuubi again as he seemed to end up there when he fell asleep. Since he couldn't leave without waking up and when he went back to sleep he just ended up back in his mindscape anyway, the nine tailed fox had grudgingly begun to have conversations with him. Naruto even got the feeling the fox didn't really mind the company, even if he grumbled about it. It was odd company but Naruto didn't mind so much either.  
  
"Yeah, what did you remember?" Madara prompted seeing as Naruto seemed to have drifted off.  
  
"Well, let's start with you Madara." Naruto grinned while Hashirama finally snapped out of his depression. The Kyuubi had seemed reluctant to tell Naruto anything about Madara, reminding Naruto that the Valley of the End had been a result of a fight between Madara and Hashirama, where the latter had supposedly killed the former. Madara was also someone the Kyuubi really did not like because of his deeds in the future. Naruto had to patiently explain that the boy in front of them was hardly going to turn out like that at all, not with Naruto around.  
  
"The Sharingan is activated by cases of extreme emotion, either good or bad." Naruto didn't actually know if any of this was true, he was simply parroting Kyuubi. "Mastery of the Sharingan is displayed in the number of tomoe they possess. However, what you and your younger brother, Izuna, discovered was the existence of another Sharingan, one that was above the Sharingan you have now." Naruto paused to let that sink in. "Since I'm not an Uchiha," Since Kyuubi refused to say how it was activated because it also gave an Uchiha the power to control him to some extent "I don't know how this is done nor what happens when you achieve this Sharingan. I do know that it's called the Mangekyou Sharingan." Kakashi-sensei had told him that on the mission with Deidera.  
  
"As you are now, you and your brother have exceptional chakra, but this is something you already know. You managed to rise in skill to a level where none but one could match you and that was Hashirama." Naruto finished.  
  
"So, basically, due to the Uchiha's own paranoid secrecy, you don't know much." Hashirama summarised.  
  
"There's another level to the Sharingan . . ." Madara whispered, completely awestruck.  
  
"Yeah, and the abilities are unique to each Uchiha who awakens it. I've heard though, that the circumstances under which a Mangekyou is awakened is not . . . pleasant." Naruto looked down, eyes growing sad.  
  
"I can imagine. Since it takes such high emotional standards just for a normal Sharingan, what would it take for a new level?" Madara mused, looking towards the sky with a frown.  
  
"Well, I guess that's what you and your brother Izuna figure out." Naruto grinned, looking back up  
again. "Now Hashirama as I've already stated was a renowned medic, setting the standard for all those who wished to follow that line of learning. He's also a sensor, a kenjutsu specialist once owning a scroll that carried just about any weapon imaginable. He also created the greatest Kekkei Genkai in the ninja nations, that as far as I know was never really passed on to any of his children or grandchildren for that matter. The Mokuton. A combination of water and earth style. I can explain a little of how it works since I had this sensei who had the Mokuton because some sicko decided to experiment on a bunch of kids to see if any of them would ever be able to use Mokuton. My sensei always did say that he could never be able to measure up to your abilities. It was also a rather sore topic for him so it wasn't talked about much."  
  
"Was he related to me?" Hashirama asked, tilting his head slightly, "Since his body accepted the Mokuton."  
  
"No idea. His name was Yamato, but Kakashi-sensei sometimes called him Tenzou which used to make him really annoyed for some reason. I'm guessing it's his previous name or his real name. No idea why he needed a fake name to begin with but oh well. As for the Mokuton, it's a mixture of both water and earth chakra, flowing together at the same time. Something that I've been told is incredibly hard to do. Never tried to see if I have more than one elemental affinity so I wouldn't know if it is. But I'll take their word for it, my sensei's that is." Naruto grinned sheepishly as he rambled.  
  
"Uhm I'm sorry to say Naruto, that that explanation isn't very helpful." Hashirama sweat dropped.  
  
"Hmmmm, well then let's try something else." Naruto muttered to himself. He raised his right hand and tilted his head slightly, "Let's pretend I have earth chakra and I focus it in this hand." He began and the two nodded. He raised his left hand and stated again "And in this hand I focus water chakra." They nodded again. "Yamato-taichou almost always began a mokuton jutsu like this." Naruto finished by placing his two hands together like Yamato did often.  
  
"I think I might actually get it now. I can't expect a better explanation than that because well, I hardly expect anyone to have the patience required to explain something so complex to him. They might have only given him the very basic of explanations to begin with so that they could explain something else to him." Hashirama muttered, starting to think out loud while Madara smacked his forehead and Naruto pouted at the other boy's word.  
  
"Anyways, Hashirama was also a master of senjutsu." Naruto added with a frown of defiance at the Senju who didn't see it.  
  
"Senjutsu?"  
  
"Yeah, it's where you utilise the natural energy in the air around you. Not everyone can do it." Naruto's grin was back as he answered Madara's question. "It's really dangerous too because if you use too much your own chakra is overwhelmed and you turn into stone. Not enough and it's kind of pointless." Naruto wasn't about to go into a rather lengthy explanation on senjutsu. He still wasn't entirely sure what would happen to his own sage mode should he try to enter it. The little things like that were what was holding him back when it came to telling them more about it. It was too dangerous.  
  
He didn't want them to get hurt trying. They were still technically just kids, younger than Naruto currently was. Not by much though, just younger. They were possibly fourteen, perhaps thirteen where Naruto was sixteen.  
  
"So essentially, both of us kick ass?" Madara asked with an Uchiha worthy smirk.  
  
"I've been saying that from day one." Naruto pouted, tempted to shake his head.  
Hashirama just laughed while Madara grinned himself before yanking Naruto back to his feet. "Come on hotshot, we've still got a lot of work to do. You're taking too long to recover."  
  
Naruto felt like groaning and grinning at the same time as Madara forced him to try walking once again.

* * *

Madara landed near the compound, taking his time in walking through the gates. He enjoyed his time outside the compound far more than he enjoyed his time within it. It was mainly the pressure of expectation that did that to him.  
  
It was one thing to be brilliant; it was another matter entirely to please those around him.  
  
Only Izuna understood what he was going through because, quite frankly, the younger Uchiha experienced it as well.  
  
Madara sought the younger boy out, deciding to spar with him. There was just something about two Sharingan users going at it. It was a fight in a whole different league from something like what he and Hashirama experienced.  
  
He found the boy in one of the various training grounds surrounding the compound. He was moving through some of the Uchiha style katas and Madara took a moment to watch him, to take in the fluidity of his movements, already mentally assessing skill and taking note of weak areas and mistakes.  
  
"Aniki." Izuna greeted as Madara's shadow fell over his relaxed form. The other Uchiha was about to go through the next level of katas, and as his body slid through the motions, Madara began to attack, using the counter kata. Izuna smiled, changing his kata and moving to the defence as well.  
  
Izuna hadn't yet noticed their father frowning at them from the edge of the training ground but Madara did and he ignored the man.  
  
As for the Uchiha Clan Head himself, well he wasn't happy. Madara had been disappearing a lot as of late and where he went was still a mystery to the man.  
  
The only reason he had yet to investigate the matter was because the boy didn't act suspiciously, even if his skill level was rising faster than before the annoying disappearances, and he also kept coming back on time. He still performed his missions at a level expected of someone of his standing and skill and nothing suspicious had happened since he'd started leaving the compound to 'train'.  
  
Looking at the boy it was easy to take his words at face value as he was clearly growing in skill. But he wasn't the clan head for nothing. Madara was hiding something and he would find out what it was. But he knew the only way to do that was to use the one person Madara would not react to, would not fight against.  
  
Izuna.  
  
He just hoped his suspicions were unfounded because it would be perhaps the Uchiha clan's greatest loss if he was forced to execute the boy. It was for that reason alone, that he decided to wait . . . for only a little while, before giving Izuna the order to follow his older brother.

* * *

Hashirama walked into his brother's room to find him sharpening his katana. He grinned down at  
the boy before snatching the katana and dashing out the room once again.  
  
"Hashirama!" Tobirama yelled angrily. "What the hell are you doing?!"  
  
"Come on Tobi-kun! Play with me." Hashirama laughed from a little down the corridor.  
  
"We don't have time for playing!" The younger Senju snarled in irritation. Of all the days for his brother to begin one of his little games. "I have a mission in the morning.  
  
Hashirama sobered up immediately, looking to the side as stopped running and approached his younger brother before meekly handing the katana back to him.  
  
"And Hashirama will be accompanying you. Debrief him and continue with your preparations." Batsuma stated curtly as he walked passed them, on his way to another meeting no doubt.  
  
The two sighed very softly before returning to Tobirama's room so that the younger could explain to the older what was expected of them.  
  
In truth these missions were a good thing because it meant they weren't fighting another clan over some petty issue or other. Unless they were hired to do so of course.  
  
Batsuma's gaze slid to the side as he passed his oldest surviving son and lingered for a moment longer than what it usually did.  
  
Tobirama had reported strange jumps in his older brother's skill but for outward appearances, Hashirama looked to be the same as ever. However, Tobirama knew the other boy better than Batsuma ever would and as such he took the younger Senju's words to heart.  
  
Hashirama had also been disappearing more and more into those blasted woods doing who knew what. He was very near the point of sending his youngest son after the older to see if he was indeed training as he proclaimed to be.  
  
It was hard not to believe him. Those jumps in skill had to come from somewhere and there was only so far a boy on his own could get. Batsuma knew this all too well.  
  
No matter, he'd wait for now. He wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of executing his own son for treason.  
  
Not that he actually thought for a moment that he just might have to but the possibility was _always_ there.

* * *

By the time either Madara or Hashirama could return to Naruto's little cave once again, the blond was outside in the clearing balanced on his hands and steadily lifting his entire body weight before lowering it again.  
  
"Well he sure recovered quickly." Madara muttered as he approached. Hashirama was not there this time but it was bound to happen sooner or later. It had only been pure luck that had enabled them to appear relatively at the same time so far.  
  
"Aren't you worried about detection? I could have easily been an enemy and I got close enough to kill you." Madara scolded the blond as soon as he was in hearing distance.  
  
"Nah, I knew it was you. I can sense it." Naruto grinned not pausing in his full body push ups.  
  
"Really? Are you a sensory type ninja?" Madara asked, tilting his head to the side so that he could observe the blonde's movements. It seemed like he was almost fully recovered.  
  
"Dunno. It was just something I picked up on how to do while I was out. I couldn't move but I could feel everything. I guess it was the ninja paranoia getting desperate or something but I never lost it after I woke up. By now I can sense anyone coming in a 50 feet radius. I can also sense the chakra of everything around me. Rocks have a surprising amount of it, considering they're rocks." Naruto replied lowering his feet to the ground so that he could face the Uchiha.  
  
"I heard the Uzumaki were pretty good at sensing. Perhaps it's a latent ability that was awoken due to the circumstances." Madara supplied.  
  
"Perhaps. Either way I now know if there's anyone approaching me other than you or Hashirama. So far, no one does. I can tell you that you both live in exact opposite directions and that it's not really all that far from each other considering you're mortal enemies." Naruto replied with a grin.  
  
"Interesting as that is, it's kind of useless information for me." Madara raised an eyebrow in amusement. "So how far have you recovered?"  
  
"I'm not at one hundred but I'm getting there far more quickly now. At any rate I can spar with you guys now." Naruto offered before using his orange jacket to wipe the sweat off his neck and chest.  
  
"Oh? Well then, want to give it a go?" Madara asked, getting into a taijutsu stance.  
  
Naruto glanced at him before laughing. "Trying to get me while I'm down eh Madara? I've been doing exercises all day." But he hadn't said no yet.  
  
"I'll go easy on you." Madara shrugged, not at all deterred.  
  
Naruto shook his head in amusement before getting into his own stance. The two sprang together at the same time, throwing punches and dodging them with ease.  
  
"I see you've sparred with an Uchiha before." Madara commented when they separated for a break.  
  
"One of my teammates was an Uchiha. You're more like him than what he'd ever admit. He likes to think he's original." Naruto smirked in reply.  
  
"Was he a good Shinobi?" Madara asked in interest.  
  
"He just might be directly related to you. I'm starting to see some resemblance. He was also the son of the clan head, second son. He was considered a prodigy but not in the same league as his older brother who was considered to be better than the very best. I suppose you could say my teammate was brilliant in his own right but to him it was never good enough because he always compared himself to his older brother." Naruto explained, eyes growing distant and his tone thoughtful.  
  
"His brother, what kind of Uchiha was he?" Madara asked curiously.  
  
He never said a word about what Itachi had done or the fact that Izuna had been killed before Konoha had even been created and sure as hell didn't plan to either. Naruto had come to the conclusion that while he might never know what had really happened on that night, the night the Uchiha were massacred, there was more to the story than what had been told and the same could be said about what had happened to Izuna. Not only that, he had enough experience with Uchihas to know they had fickle tempers, set off by the strangest of things. He didn't want to risk setting off  
Madara's and causing everything to fall apart before it had even begun.  
  
"A strange one. I never really met him and the rare times that I did he always confused the heck out of me. He was insanely powerful that's for sure." Naruto settled for instead. He felt it was a fair answer and as accurate as he could give because he really didn't know much about Itachi.  
  
He didn't encourage the conversation any further and rather leapt back into the spar, taking it upon himself to attack Madara, a vicious grin on his features as he did so. Madara grinned back just as viciously as he returned the blow.  
  
Neither could say who was better; neither was trying to prove it to each other either. They were merely testing each other out and having fun at the same time.

* * *

Hashirama gripped his brother's armour as he crouched behind the large boulder.  
  
The younger Senju was out cold, forcing Hashirama to protect them both. This mission was something they should not have been sent on. They were in over their heads. Completely.  
  
What the hell had his father been thinking?  
  
Hashirama would thank Kami and every other deity he knew if he could manage to get both his brother and himself out of this mess alive.  
  
"Where the hell did those brats go?" One of the enemy Shinobi demanded of another.  
  
It was easy to hide Tobirama because he was knocked out. However Hashirama had to try very hard to keep his own chakra under wraps.  
  
"I don't know but just find them and kill them!" The other enemy barked back.  
  
Hashirama knew that he'd have to fight sooner or later, knew it would either be him or their enemy but he was reluctant to leave his younger brother's side for even a moment.  
  
"Wait, what the hell was that?"  
  
Hashirama peek around the edge of the boulder, praying he wasn't spotted only to see the two adult Shinobi looking around frantically as though looking for something.  
  
From his vantage point, Hashirama was able to see exactly where the kunai came from, watched as it sailed through the air before embedding itself into the space between one enemy's eyes.  
  
He fell to the ground in a useless heap, dead before he even hit the ground.  
  
The other ninja reacted to the kunai, pulling out his own and tossing them in the direction the first had come from but it was too late. The unknown attacker had already moved.  
  
"Looking a little worse for wear there, Hashirama." A familiar voice chuckled in his ear.  
  
"Madara." The older Senju felt like he was going to cry.  
  
"Let me guess, you're after the same scroll as I am?" Madara asked with a frown.  
  
It wasn't uncommon for the Senju and the Uchiha to clash on missions.  
  
"Probably. But this mission had a lot more adult Shinobi than what our intelligence said it would. I  
managed to take out five of them without getting injured. As a result, I'm exhausted and Tobirama was knocked out. I only just managed to get us out of the line of fire." Hashirama reported to the Uchiha in a crisp quiet tone while the Uchiha nodded as he spoke.  
  
"So this is your brother huh? Looks nothing like you that's for sure. But he also appears to be around the same age as my brother." Madara mused, studying the unconscious Senju.  
  
"Are you alone?" Hashirama asked, finally realising that this little conversation could very well get them killed and not by their enemy.  
  
"Yes. Same bad intelligence as you guys got I suppose. Perhaps it was a setup? Someone trying to get the Uchiha and the Senju to fight or at least to take a few down." Madara frowned as he thought it over. "No matter. We'll complete this mission. I'll just copy the scroll with my Sharingan and that way we'll both have it. Mission complete." Madara continued while Hashirama smiled gratefully. "I saw Naruto the other day. He's almost fully recovered. We sparred a little and everything." Madara added on a completely unrelated note.  
  
Hashirama bit his lip to stop the chuckle.  
  
"Alright then, I'll be right back. Since you did most of the work I just have to play clean up." Madara was gone before Hashirama could stop him.  
  
The Uchiha returned some minutes later, tossing a scroll at the Senju. "I don't know about you but I actually wouldn't mind just hanging here for a day or two but I have no idea when your little brother is going to wake up, and I don't imagine him being exactly welcoming of the idea of an Uchiha. That being said, I'll see you around, Senju." Madara gave the other an arrogant smirk and a cheerful wave before disappearing again.  
  
Hashirama couldn't help the large smile that spread across his features.  
  
It wasn't that the adult Shinobi were hard to kill per say. It was more along the lines of there were so many of them that he'd have been chakra exhausted before he managed to get them all because he would have had to use chakra to kill them. Only an extremely lucky shot would have allowed a kunai to kill them as Madara had achieved upon arrival.  
  
Hashirama was convinced that the man had been so flustered by the Senjus' presence that he hadn't noticed the kunai in the first place.  
  
Madara could thank him later.  
  
With a tired sigh, Hashirama tucked the scroll away before getting to his feet and shifting his brother so that he was now on Hashirama's back.  
  
With a last weary smile, Hashirama concluded that it was good to have powerful friends before starting the long trek back home.

* * *

Madara handed the scroll to his father, not saying a word of how the mission went nor that there were Senju involved because then he'd be asked why he did not kill the Senju.  
  
That was a road he did not feel like going down.  
  
Not to mention his heart had almost literally stopped beating when he's seen Hashirama crouched so pathetically behind that boulder, almost desperately clinging to his baby brother in a way that Madara could whole heartedly understand. That look of utter exhaustion had been near panic  
inducing for the Uchiha and he'd had to bite his tongue for the pain in order to stop himself from rushing out foolishly.  
  
They might be destined for power but that power was still to come. They were currently only children, powerful children but children all the same.  
  
"This mission was completed in an uncannily short amount of time, Madara." His father commented tonelessly.  
  
"Someone had already attempted it so the forces guarding the scroll were scattered and depleted." Madara shrugged, this being the only answer close enough to the truth he was willing to give his father; the only answer his father was going to get.  
  
"I see. Well then I guess you can call it a lucky break on your part."  
  
Did his father see more than what he stated? Madara could never be sure what went through the Clan Head's mind at times and this was no exception but he knew he himself wasn't giving the man any cause to worry or be suspicious. He had completed his mission and that was all there was to it.  
  
Nothing of Hashirama and Tobirama had to be said.  
  
Not a single thing.

* * *

"Ummm . . ." A soft groan from the person on his back made Hashirama stop his journey through the trees.  
  
"You waking up there, Tobirama?" he asked quietly.  
  
"You jump through the trees like an ass you know that." Tobirama grumbled.  
  
"Had to make sure you didn't get too comfortable there little brother, didn't need you passing out during every mission." Hashirama teased.  
  
"What happened anyway? I thought we were going to die, I really did." Tobirama asked, the confusion all too evident in his tone.  
  
"We made it out of there with the scroll. What more needs to be said?" Hashirama asked with a small shrug. He didn't need Tobirama asking too many questions because that would lead to things he did not want the other to know about just yet.  
  
He knew his brother was frowning but the boy didn't say anything and Hashirama just continued jumping, not trusting Tobirama to do it himself in his current state. He still wasn't fully with it yet. If he was, he'd be asking questions. He'd probably do it later anyway.  
  
He'd almost lost his third brother this mission and it was a terrible feeling. He had to train harder, he had to get stronger. There was nothing else for it.  
  
He refused to lose Tobirama as well.  
  
He also owed Madara a big one. Had it not been for his arrival, chances were Hashirama would not be making this trip at all.  
  
Not a word would be said to his father about it though. He wouldn't even mention that the Uchiha  
clan was involved at all.  



End file.
